The present invention relates generally to the field of material collection and, more particularly, with an apparatus for simplifying the numerous steps involved with the deployment of a funnel type device for corralling material into a container. One type of container commonly used in collecting material is the paper lawn bag for the collection of leaves and other debris. To this end there have been numerous attempts to create means for effective loading of collected materials into the paper lawn bag. Tubes, sleeves, funnels, chutes and others of various forms offer partial but incomplete solutions to the many facets of the deployment process.
Like the chute in U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,756 to Pfisterer et al., it discloses a foldable chute that relies on a clamp means in a form of belt to go around a bag and tighten the bag against the body of the folded chute, and a securing means to further secure the belt around the bag with the front part of the foldable chute. Pfisterer needs many cumbersome, separate parts to secure the bag to the chute. Pfisterer does not provide any means that can adjust the perimeter of the exit section of chute for easy entry of the chute into a bag, or any means that can enlarge the exit section of the chute to resist the separation of the bag from the chute. U.S. Pat. No. 8,020,686 to Babineau et al. discloses a foldable chute that has a mouth portion in contact with the ground restricted to the width of the bag unless it is flattened in which case the opening of the bag mouth becomes progressively restricted. Babineau's chute does not provide any means to adjust tension of the chute against the walls of the container in order to secure the chute against the container. US Patent Application No 2018/0086492 A1 by Weathers et al. discloses a foldable chute that lacks any means to enlarge the inner portion of the chute within the bag until a preferred expansion and commensurate force providing grip against movement between the bag and chute is achieved and maintained.
Apparatus have failed to solve the issue and encountered various drawbacks. None of them disclose the unique properties of the present invention.